Saddle



Nov. 2l, 1933.

F.MESNGER SADDLE Filed July 3o, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY- F. MESINGER Nov. 21, 1933.

SADDLE Filed July 50, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 flyer D. v o E mwm Ef O W50 -wp A c.. 6 M

Patented Nov. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES 1,936,403 SADDLE Frederick Mesinger,

Mount Vernon, N. Y.

Application July 30, 1932. Serial No. 627,070

3 Claims.

This invention relates to saddles, and more particularly to saddles for motorcycles and similar vehicles, the present invention constituting an improvement of the construction disclosed in Patent No. 1,813,672, granted to me on July 7, 1931.

It is one object of the invention to provide an improved pivotal mounting of the forward or pommel end of the saddle top upon the rigid supporting base and resilient cushioning elements extending longitudinally in contact with the under side of said saddle top to its rear end to cushion iiexing movement thereof relative to the supporting base, and additional means for yieldingly resisting the pivoting movement of the forward end of the saddle top in the action of saidy cushioning means.

1n one preferred practical embodiment of the invention, the saddle top at its forward end is provided upon its under side with a rigid metal plate pivotally mounted upon the forward end of the supporting base, and a plurality of cushioning springs connected at their forward ends to said plate, and extending rearwardly therefrom over the under side of the saddle top, and atare of relatively simple mechanical form, and

wherein means is provided enabling the saddle top to be easily and quickly detached from the supporting base structure and replaced by a new top.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved saddle for motorcycles and the like, and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described,

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and

subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings wherein I have illustrated one simple and practical embodiment of the invention and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several Views,-

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view showing a saddle constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar fragmentary sectional view of the forward end of the saddle showing the relative position of the parts when the saddle top has been pivotally moved under pressure from its normal position; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View taken ysubstantially on the line 5-5 of Figs. 1 and 3L Referring in detail to the drawings, 5 designates the supporting base of the saddle top, which in the present instance, is illustrated in the form of a rigid sheet metal plate having therelatively wide rear end portion 6 dished or curved both transversely and longitudinally thereof into concavo-convex form, and a central relatively narrow tapering portionl. The'opposite side edges of this tapering portion of the base plate are provided with the down-turned iianges 8. It will, however, be understood that this illustrated construction of the supporting base is merely suggestive, andvarious other forms thereof might be employed.

The saddle top consists of the upper leather sheet 9 which is cut to suitable shape and at its marginal edges is provided with the tubular leather bead 10. A suitable padding material` indicated at 1l extends over the under surface of the leather sheet 9 and has its edges disposed within the bead strip 10.V At the front or pommel end of the saddle, and along each side thereof, a flap of leather indicated at 12 extends inwardly upon the padding 1l and has its outer edge secured to bead 10. A similar leather ap 13 extends around the rear curved end of the saddle top to opposite sides thereof beneath the padding 11 and also has its outer edge secured to the bead 10.

At the forward or pommel end of the saddle, a transversely curved plate 14 has its opposite sides pivotally connected with the ends of the transverse pin or bolt l5, which is secured upon he upper side of the forward end 7 of the supporting base in any suitable manner. For this purpose, I have herein shown the metal plate 16 riveted or otherwise secured upon the upper surface of said base. At opposite sides of the pin l5, stud bolts l" extend through said base and the plate 16 and areadapted to be connected to the forward end of the usual heavy resilient wire frame orV other part mounted upon the saddle post. Y

The forward end of the saddle top at its oppo- Vthe. action of said springs, the plate site sides is detachably secured to the ends of the metal plate 14 by means of the bolts 18 having clamping nuts 19 threaded on their inner ends. The rear end of the saddle top is securely retained in connection with the rear up-turned edge of the part 6 of the supporting base by means of the flexible leather flap 13 attached to said saddle top and which extends inwardly in close contacting engagement against the convex lower surface of said base plate. l

For the purpose of yieldably supporting the saddle top between the pivot plate 14 and the rear end of the supporting base, and cushioning its flexing movement relative to the latter under the weight of the rider, I provide a plurality of long coil springs 2O of substantially equal length in such number arrangement as to provide an elastic support for the saddle top, the sustaining function of which is uniformly distributed-.lover substantially the entire under side thereof. The forward ends of these springs are suitably connected to the curved rear odge of the plate i4 substantially above the plane of the rigid base 5,`

ends are connected or attached in any suitable manner to the rear upwardly curved edge of said When the springs are thus attached, they under sufficient tension to exert a yielding upward pressure against the padding material ll with which they are in contact. Thus, in effect, there is provided an elastic seat so that when the weight of the rider is iinpressed upon the saddle top, tcp, extending rearwardly of the plate lll, is depressed relative to the supporting base 5. The springs 2G will thereby be stretched or expanded and under and the while their rear yforward pommel end of the saddle top are rocked tran-sin ted throug upwardly relative to the base 5. In order to pre- .vent excessive depression of the saddle top and contact of the springs 2Q with base 5, provide the additional coil springs 2l arranged below the plane of the base 5 and connected at their forward ends. to the opposite sides of the plate la, the rear ends of said springs being attached to the anges 8. These springs 2l act to yieldingly resist the upward pivoting` movement of the forward end of the saddle top relative to the base 5, and thereby further cushion and also limit the depression of the saddle top under the weight of the rider.

From the above, it will be evident that my present invention provides a simple and efficient means directly associated with the saddle top for the bolts 18 which connect said saddle top at its forward end with. the pivoted ponimel plate lli. The flap 13 at the rear end of the saddle top can then readily be disengaged from the base 5. This construction also permits any one of the springs 20 or 21 to be easily and quickly removed and replaced by new springs should this become necessary.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, manner of operation and several advantages of my new saddle construction will be clearly and fully understood. The several parts are of simple and durable mechanical form, and may be expeditiously assembled so that the manufacturing oost of such saddles is not appreciably increased. It will be understood, of course, that the general shape or contour of the saddle, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, is not an important feature as my invention may be readily applied, with resort to minor mechanical changes in the form andl arrangement of the several elements, to saddles of various other shapes and sizes. It is accordingly to be understood that in practice, I reserve the privilege of adopting all such legitimate modifications as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

l. A cycle saddle including a rigid base, a flexible saddle top, means connecting the rear end of the saddle top at its edge to said base, a pommel plate pivotally mounted on the base and supporting the forward end of the saddle top with respect thereto, a pluralityof resiliently yieldable elements of substantially equal length extending longitudinally beneath the saddle top in Contact therewith and connected at their forward ends with said pommel plate to yieldably support said saddle top and the pommel plate in a normal position with. relation to the base, and additional ya pommel plate pivotally mounted on the base and supporting the forward end of the saddle top with respect thereto, a plurality of cushioning springs extending longitudinally between the saddletop and base connected at their rear ends to the latter and at their forward ends to said pcmmel plate above the pivot thereof to yieldingly sustain the saddle top in a normal position relative to the base, and additional tensioning springs connected to the porninel plate below its pivot and to said base acting to yieldingly resist pivoting movement of said pommel plate in the depression of the saddle top.

3. A cycle saddle including a rigid base, a pomniel plate pivotally mounted on the forward end of said base, a flexible saddle top, means for detachably connecting said saddle top at its front and rear ends with said pommel plate and the base respectively, and cushioning springs extendingV longitudinally above and below the plane of said base connected with said pommel plate to yieldingly resist pivotal'inovement thereof and sustain theexible saddle top in a normal position relative to the base.

FREDERICK MESINGER. 

